This account by James Dearsley (who calls himself The Surrey Beekeeper) is a charming, amusing and informative diary (to non beekeepers) of a novice beekeeper – who also happens to be a novice dad as well. He has so much to learn.

A life history together with a collection of drawings and poems by a 93 year old Somerset Artist which ranges from snapshots of beekeeping life to the very best of the Glastonbury Festival as well as drawings of life in Scotland. This book – while not helping you to a larger honey harvest will give you many happy and enjoyable hours scanning the pages.

During well over fifty years of beekeeping experience, John Home has twice served as Chairman of the UK Bee Farmers Association – one of only two members ever to be invited to serve a second term – and is also a former Chairman of the Warwickshire Beekeepers Association and it’s local Warwick and Leamington branch.In Home and Away he looks back over a lifetime of beekeeping.

The destinies of man and the honey bee have been inextricably intertwined since the beginning of history; in fact, the bee has been a beneficiary of mankind from the earliest times. There is evidence of this association; an artist, living many thousands of years ago, has left us an excellent drawing on the wall of a cave showing a member of his tribe taking honey from a colony of bees. We also know that the ancient Egyptians transported their colonies of bees up and down the Nile in order to follow the flowering of the plants, and on the death of their Pharaohs they embalmed them in honey. From mediaeval times colonies of the honey bee have been kept and studied at the Abbeys, and among the interesting illustrations in this absorbing book are two of the long famous apiary at Buckfast Abbey. These photographs are, in fact, unique as this probably the first occasion on which the camera has revealed to the public in a handbook on bees a glimpse of the apiary, and of its equally famous master, Brother Adam.Mrs. Linsey has painted a vivid picture in which the romantic highlights are intermingled with aspects of practical guidance. She has managed, in a short compass, not only to give her experiences during a lifelong association with the honey bee, but also to produce a book rich in sound advice on this fascinating subject.

This is one of the great beekeeping books of all time. Manley draws on his commercial experience to explain all aspects of beekeeping. This is a book which is a joy to read, you read it, then reread it. As your experience improves you will understand more & more of the value of Manley’s words. Strongly recommended.

The distillation of the life times beekeeping experience by the longest serving editor of The Scottish beekeeper. This gem of a book is packed full of valuable tips guaranteed to improve every beekeeper’s honey crop.